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look around the room


Psalm 34:3 NASB
O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.

Look around the room in your life and where you are.  The people you see are those that God has allowed to come your direction for some reason. It is not by coincidence.  God’s plan for you is for greatness and His glory.  We need to take a look around.

Take a look around the room.  That is what I was doing last Thursday evening as the annual meeting of the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries was kicking off in Daytona Beach, Florida.  

The people in the room, some I know and some I don’t, are making it happen at speedways, big and small, around the country.  They are sharing their faith, ministering to those in need and serving people in a unique place.  Their ages are from 20 something to 80 years young.  Some have just begun.  Others have been at it for years.

People like John Fox, a dear friend, who is a pastor in Roanoke, Virginia and helped begin the ministry at Martinsville Speedway 21 years ago.  This man has for more than 10 years been a friend and mentor of mine.  He is a hero.

Another in the room is Shelly Wilson, a young lady from Texas.  She has a voice like an angel, and her ministry at the speedway and beyond is helping ladies know that our heavenly wants to help ladies know they are queens.  Her ministry is called DQK or Drama Queens for the King.  You need to hear the stories she tells about young girls, and others, meeting Jesus for the first time.

Also in the room are men like Roger Marsh and David Martin who have given their lives full time to serve the racing community.  David serves with OnTrack Ministries and Roger as the director of the national Raceway Ministries groups.  Just being around them, their passion rubs off on you.  I am indebted to David and Roger for their partnership and ministry.

I traveled with friends from our group in Martinsville to Florida, and these are awesome people who make our ministry top notch.  I’m thankful for Eldred, LeeRoy, Tim and Kevin who traveled with me (even the guys who didn’t get to go are great).

I met some new friends as well.  Jud Brannon is making a Christian movie, Champion, about racing and serves at First Baptist in Woodstock, GA.  Jonathan Martin is David’s son and incredible racer and man of faith.  Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 last year, and he shared his testimony along with several other people Thursday night.  The dude can preach too, and he loves Jesus (plus Trevor is my favorite NASCAR driver).

My point is this.  We are never alone!  Plus trying to do things on our own will not have the impact or the influence that doing things together will have.  We need each other.  These people and the hundreds of others working and serving at the speedways around the nation have a message of hope to share with people who need Jesus.  They are encouragers of those who already know God, and they are winning people to God who don’t know Him.  We are part of an awesome group of people.

Christians aren’t perfect, but we are forgiven.  We must see how God connects us and maximize those connections so that we can serve more people.  Take another look around the room.

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